


Marlene: Make a deal.

by rico with a gun (Heterochromia_Mars)



Series: School's In (and Marlene needs a break) [3]
Category: Penguins of Madagascar
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Friendship, M/M, POV Marlene, POV Second Person, and ended up with bonus kico and stealth lesbians, i just wanted marlene and kowalski being sass buddies, marlene and skipper are mlm/wlw solidarity, private somehow doesnt feature in this fic at all. how do i write private, ps. pry autistic kowalski from my cold dead hands, title is formatted like a hs fic bc im GARBAGE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 07:40:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12127716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heterochromia_Mars/pseuds/rico%20with%20a%20gun
Summary: As much as "study sessions" with the incongruously-dubbed 'Team Penguin' are unproductive at best (and absolute and utter chaos at worst), studying with Kowalski really isn't so bad.That said, Kowalski is... really not much of a conversationalist.(Hey, you're a talker. You have needs.)





	Marlene: Make a deal.

As much as "study sessions" with the incongruously-dubbed 'Team Penguin' are unproductive at best (and absolute and utter chaos at worst), studying with Kowalski really isn't so bad - so long as you can cope with the fact that Kowalski will breeze through questions you spend hours on.

That, and that he's kinda smug about helping you with anything. But at least he actually is helpful (unlike Skipper's particular brand of 'helpfulness' which mostly includes alternating between 'kindly suggesting' that you figure it out your damn self, proudly declaring that he has no clue what the answer is, and telling you to eat a bag of dicks).

That said, Kowalski is... really not much of a conversationalist.

(Hey, you're a talker. You have needs, alright?) 

"So," you start, and stop again, speaking library-quiet despite the fact that the two of you are the only people in the place. You cast around for conversation topics: "You going to the dance with anyone?"

Kowalski looks up at you from his pages of scrawled notes and blinks at you. "I mean, normally we'd all go to these things as a group, but Skipper asked Julien to go and Private's busy that night, so. And it would be kinda awkward for _just_ me and Rico to just go together as friends," Kowalski explains all at once, spinning his pen around a fingertip rapidly. (How does he do that?)

"Why, because you like him?"

Kowalski drops the pen and makes a sound that might be words, but sounds more like a horse's death rattle. "I - I don't - what gave you that idea?"

Real convincing stuff.

You shoot him a nonplussed look over your textbook. "You... aren't exactly subtle. Like, at all. You're super duper obvious, even. Honestly, you're lucky Rico is as oblivious as he is re: feelings." 

Kowalski hides his face in a book for a few moments before glaring at you over its edge. "I am not 'super duper obvious', as you put it," he says, making air quotes. The book thuds to the table without his hands holding it up and he shoots it a look of betrayal. 

"Right," you say dryly. "And asking Doris out 5 times in one week was the height of subtlety." 

Kowalski winces. And then huffs, shooting you a look that can only be described as 'prim'. "That's in the past. And besides, I'm not the one who likes Doris now." 

Your face warms and you narrow your eyes at him. "I'm going to refrain from asking you how you know that." 

Seriously, you should really know better than to tell Skipper these things. Those guys are as tight-knit as...as something really tight-knit. Kowalski's smug expression is really interfering with your ability to come up with good similes. 

"Whatever," you huff and scribble in what you hope is the right answer to question six. "At least I'm not in denial."

The two of you sit in somewhat restless silence for a couple of minutes before you stop squinting uselessly at the next question and eye Kowalski's relentless writing across the table. 

"So," you begin, a smirk spreading across your face, "when are you gonna ask him out?"

Kowalski's pen skids across the paper and he shoots you a glare. _Ha._ Serves him right for... well... having Skipper tell him something you told him in confidence, you suppose.

Yeah, you and Skipper are going to _have words_ later.

"What are you, crazy?" Kowalski grates as he uncaps his correction fluid. 

"Crazy? I'm not the one who's into the guy who went to hospital with fourth degree burns because he put a sparkler in his mouth." And that's not even high on the list of weird shit Rico's done. (Or taking into account Rico's... general aura of chaotic energy.)

"It was three sparklers, actually," he corrects, a fond smile creeping onto his face. "And third degree burns."

Ech. Well. They say love knows no bounds. 

Kowalski smiles dreamily for another few moments (subtle.) before he snaps out of it and returns to glaring at you. "Whatever," he says, sticking his tongue out at you. (Why are all your friends basically five?) "When are you going to ask Doris out, hm?" 

"Maybe I will," you sniff, refusing to be cowed. "Maybe I'll ask her to the dance. But," you counter as Kowalski opens his mouth to say something, " _Only_ if you ask Rico. And as a _date_ , not as a friend thing." 

He fixes you with a look of disbelief, and you arrange your face into the most mild expression you can manage. 

"Are you _trying_ to ruin - look, this isn't even a fair bet, there's no way Doris would say no to you but I'm not - there's no -" he pauses, taking a deep breath and glancing around to check that the library really is empty but for the two of you. "Rico just doesn't see me that way," he says, a little wistful-slash-miserable. 

Sheesh. You forgot that Rico isn't the only oblivious one. 

"Look, if you can keep being friends after Rico accidentally ruined a six-week experiment, or after that one experiment did - something to his hair? I'm still not entirely sure what was going on there, or why everything with you seems to involve experiments - but I'm sure you can keep being friends if he says no to a date." 

When Kowalski still doesn't seem convinced, you continue - "Besides, if just the fact that you like him is making things awkward, don't you think it would be better to get it out in the open?" 

Honestly, what would these guys do without you?

Kowalski makes a doubtful sound, but his brow is furrowed in thought. "Aren't you being a little hypocritical?" 

"Hey, I'm the one who proposed the mutual-asking-out-of-other-people deal, I'm agreed to it already by default, smart guy. You're the one who's not willing to shake on this." You hold out your hand and smile winningly for good measure: if every single person you know is gonna be a drama queen at all times, you might as well have _some_ fun. 

Kowalski chews on his pen thoughtfully for a moment and frowns before sighing resignedly and reaching out to shake your hand. "Alright," he says grudgingly, "but if this goes wrong I'm holding you accountable." 

You quirk a brow at him and return to question seven, suppressing a smile as Kowalski snaps his Physics book shut and begins writing frantically in the notebook he carries with him everywhere, muttering to himself about plans and scripting. 

Maybe you should wait until _after_ the dance to tell him that Doris asked you to go with her a week ago.

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this on my phone in an hour and a half starting at 1 AM and i did NOT proofread please be nice to m


End file.
